son just left for marine boot camp

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Permalink Reply by Karen Marie Green Ehrhard on September 22, 2010 at 4:10pm

OH, man, Kyle. I so remember how I felt and I'm so hopeful that you'll let us help you through this time. One of the ways we might be able to help is to have you tell us about your son! Which boot camp is he at: West Coast (San Diego) or East Coast (Parris Island.) Did his recruiter take him to where he needed to go? Were there other Poolies &/or moms there when he left? Do you have plans to write everyday? Do you have other children? How old is your son? Tell us about him and we'll share about our Marines too. OK?
Karen

Permalink Reply by Janet Skerry on October 1, 2010 at 7:09am

Kyle,

Your note brought a flood of memories back about the day my son left for boot camp. Although we were 100% behind his decision, my heart felt like it was being ripped out. I think it was the idea that there would be no voice contact for 13 weeks. He will be taken care of , Kyle. It is a rough 13 weeks, but he will emerge a man afterwards and if he was already a 'man', he'll emerge stronger. Do yourself a favor and become involved in something to do with the Marines -- there are so many organizations that need volunteers. Write a letter everyday and place a number on the envelope so when he finally receives them, he'll know which one is first. Keep your letter short and encouraging; express you miss him, but keep it upbeat. Tell him how proud you are of him. My son has saved every letter he received in boot camp -- they were his life-line to success!!!!

Also, find a group of other Marine Moms (or military moms) to meet with in your home town. The encourgement you receive when actually sitting face to face with others who are in the same situation will be invaluable.

Congratulations!!! And welcome to the wild roller-coaster ride of your life.

Janet

Permalink Reply by Marlene Stern-Jimenez on October 7, 2010 at 8:51pm

Welcome Kyle,

What fond memories I have of my son getting ready for Boot, going to Boot and graduating from Boot! It's an amazing experience to watch your son or daughter leave you as a child, and transform in to a Marine! My son graduated from Parris Island and it was the most unbelievable day of my life! As Janet did, I would also recommend that you write short encouraging notes to your son and let him know that you support him and are very proud of him. They LOVE getting those notes from home; it helps keep their morale up a bit, but try to remember that he's in the thick of things and he may not write very often, if at all :( It was difficult for me not to hear from my son often. Some things that we did to help understand what he may go through in Boot, was to watch a show presented on the Military Channel; "The Making of a Marine - Boot Camp I and II." Another boost for us at home, was to keep the Boot Camp Matrix by the computer, where we could see what each week would present to our Recruits from the day they step off the Bus and on to the Yellow Footprints, all the way through The Crucible, then Family and Glorious Graduation Day when they become Marines! The MarineParents.com site and chat room is another way to share your experience and meet other parents online going through exactly what you are. My mom and I just got involved in our local chapter of Blue Star Moms; it's a great group to check out and be involved with.

This is a new beginning for your son and for you and your family. I'm so excited for all of you and look forward to hearing how your son is doing on his 13 week journey.

All the best,
Marlene

Permalink Reply by Dawn D on October 7, 2010 at 9:50pm

Wow it brings back the memories of when I went though Boot camp and reliving the memories when my son went through Boot camp.. I remember telling him what the DIs would say and do. To always find a point and look past the DI so they would not say... are you looking at me. NO SIR... or all the PTs, the shaved heads. Winters were hard for the guys who went through them. Us girls laugh at night the first time we say the guys bald. But I am sure they laughed at us in our beautiful blue outfit from the 50s.
You know all us MOMs say that we can always pick out our sons or daughters in crowd. Well I thought I could at his graduation. Ilooked and looked. They were in the PT gear doing their last 3 miles before the big ceramony. His dad and I started seaching the group.. I looked at every boy...sorry young man to see my son. I looked at this one row for the longest time. I could not find him. Tears ran down my face. I know the corp did not keep my son ... he had to be in with the men. They ran by me once, twice and on the third pass, I saw my son not from the front but from behind. He had grown up so fast in those 14 weeks that he was becoming a man and I was looking for my baby. Each young man ran past I reviewed them for a feature of my son... Damn thing was I pick him out by his BUTT and not his face. When he came up to me... I then saw my baby was a MAN. This young man then begins to tell me thank you for listening, letting me tell you all the good and bad but necessary training that got me to this poing in time TODAY. Mom all your talks and stories that happen to you in bootcamp helped me to make it through. I was able to meet some great guys and let them in on the secrets you told me. We do not give credit, thanks and enough love to our MOMs until we have kids of our own. he told me. So Mom this Marine will always the the guiding light that will shine in your eyes and heart. I will never let any harm here or aboard hurt you. I am doing what I am suppose to do.... Ladies, as you can see I still remember those words...

So I know it will be hard. Their 1st week will be the hardest. It is not brainwashing. It is corrective reinforce manner, morals and what it means to be a Marine. Being a Marine myself... Its a branch that takes the elite, the very proud, the ones that feel they can do anything. I did.. I was wrong the first week until they gave me the tools to stand on my own, do things alone as well as a team. To always never leave a brother or sister behind. We are the first to go in, to pave the way and to make sure we all make it home.

I am not a writer as I was when I went through. You just have to listen, let them talk even if its bad. Be there rock although you are so far away. Save all the letters cas you will read them often. Make sure you have tissues handy. Just be... a Marine Mom is just that... their strong rock to lean on and listen.